Six Nations scheduling set for revamp
September 24, 2001

Six Nations fixtures on a Sunday are expected to be a thing of the past come next year and may be replaced by Friday night clashes in a revamp of the competition's schedule.

Provisional proposals are being considered tomorrow at a meeting of the championship committee in Manchester.

A working party has been looking at the schedule of the northern hemisphere's premier rugby contest for thelast year, in particular it's length and position within the season.

There have been calls for the competiton to be condensed into a five or six week block and also for it to be moved to the end of the season, but there have also been strong calls to leave everything as it is.

It is thought that Sunday internationals have failed to catch on, often providing sterile occasions that fail to capture the essence of the championship.

Allan Hosie, the committee chairman, commented, "No one is very keen on Sunday matches. Supporters do not like it. Overall, we are exploring all options and are looking at doing what is best for northern-hemisphere rugby."

Instead of Sundays, the three internationals in each round of the championship could be staggered over a Friday night, Saturday afternoon and evening. France, who played two Saturday night internationals against New Zealand last autumn, have expressed their interest in such an arrangement.

There could be a price to pay with television, however, if the decision is made to scrap Sundau internationals. Tenders for the next contract starting in 2003 go out in November with an announcement possibly before this year's championship begins in the spring.

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